Ex-Aston Villa player claims ex-Sunderland boss is probably finished with football management
The former Sunderland manager has been out of work since 2019
Former Premier League midfielder Stiliyan Petrov has suggested that ex-Sunderland boss Martin O’Neill is probably done with football management.
The 72-year-old joined the Black Cats in December 2011, and spent a little over a year in the dugout at the Stadium of Light, departing the club in March of 2013. He has also taken charge of the likes of Aston Villa, Celtic, Leicester City, and the Republic of Ireland in a managerial career that began in 1990. His most recent role was with Nottingham Forest in 2019, where he lasted just 19 matches.
In more recent times, O’Neill has been appointed chair of the League Manager’s Association, as well as launching a podcast with iconic commentator Clive Tyldesley and occasionally doing punditry work for various outlets in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland.
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And according to Petrov, who played under O’Neill at Celtic and Villa, it could well be the case that he has already accepted a job in the dugout for the final time. As quoted by Birmingham World, he said: “I don't think he [O’Neill] will [return to management]. After the last two conversations we had, he's got a different role now and I think he really enjoys it. He's on every TV station as well, so he's a media darling, or whatever you call it.
"He deserves it for everything he's done in football. He's a great man and human being. Really smart. Strange humour, I would say, but we love him. He [O’Neill] is a great, great manager. He gave me a new lease of life when he came to Celtic, and I’ve followed him since then. When you have a manager like that you appreciate it. We've got plenty of stories, but I'll just keep my mouth shut and respect the gaffer.”
Discussing his departure from Nottingham Forest in a recent interview with talkSPORT, O’Neill himself said: “There was this idea that there was player power when I was at Nottingham Forest. Please do me a favour, I was there 19 games and player power, there wasn’t a player strong enough or with the personality to usurp me. It was just ridiculous to talk about it.
“Players didn’t get me out in the end. I believe a couple of players, nondescript players, sent their agents up to talk to the CEO, bigger fool him for listening to them if that’s the case. I can only run the football club the way I wanted to run the football club. If it’s not the way that [Forest owner Evangelos] Marinakis wants me to run the football club then that’s fine but please don’t give me this here about player power.”